Improvement in school-desks



i OFFICE.

HENRY B. OSBORNE AND NOAH W. HAMMON, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT VIN SCHOQL-DESKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 116,477, dated June 27, 1871.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY B. OsBORNE and NOAH W. HAMMoN,'of Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented certain Improvements in School-Desks and Seats, of which the following is a specification:

Our invention is designed to provide a schooldesk and seat that will fold, with natural and easymotions, into a narrower compass than usual,

and in such a manner that it will be held in its respective positions, either open or folded, by the force of gravitation. It consists: First, in pivoting the desk and book-box to movable arms connected with the end frames at their base in such tal position. Fourth, in movable arms that sup-` port theseat and will hold it at any angle, as hereinafter described.

\ Figure 1 of our drawing-is a perspective view of the desk and seat unfolded and in the positions required' for use. Portions of the end frame are removed to show the projecting pins in the guiding-grooves. A A is one of the end frames. These may be made of Wood or metal and of various ornamental forms and sizes. l, 2, 3 represent the end frames connected by three pieces, which together form the stationary part of the desk. B B is the combined movable book-box and desk. Gis a long arm pivoted to the bookbox and also to the base of the end frame. D is a short arm pivoted to the seat-arm and also to the front of the end frame near the base. a is the self-acting gravitating lock. b is the pin held by the lock. c c is the groove in the frame trav- -ersed by the pin b. d d is a groove in the front of the end frame traversed by the end of the seat-arm, which is formed to enter the groove. Fig. 2 is a perspective view, showing the seat folded up close upon the stationary part of the desk, `and the combined book-box and deskin a vertical position and almost withdrawn from between the end frames. It will be Observed that the grooves c c make a right angle at the bottom and that the pin b is'near the corner of the angle. The book-box may be pushed in between the end frames and underneath the stationary top part 1, and, when in that position, it can be secured by a lock and key and its contents kept safe and private. By pulling it out far enough to allow the pin b to turn the corner in the groove c c and pass upward, the book-box and desk will turn on the pivoted arms D and assume a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents our self-acting gravitating lock, of nearly full size, in a section of the end frame. a a is the lock, made of metal, in the form of 'a segment, with a right-angled handle at its top. A slot or mortise corresponding in form with the lock is cut or cast in the end frame, and intersects the groove c c, which is inclined forward at its top. The pin b, secured on the side of the book-box, in its upward passage, strikes the angling end of the lock a' a, and lifts it and passes it. As soon as the pin has passed, the lock ct a drops again and catches and holds the pin b. By having one of these catches at each end of the desk a complete and simple means is provided for holding the Vdesk iiri'nly in its horizontal position as required for use. To unlock it, take hold of the projecting parts ofthe pieces a a and lift them suiciently to allow the pins b b to descend in their grooves, and the book-box and desk will naturally and quietly gravitate to a vertical position and ready to be pushed forward Within the stationary part of the desk. A shoulder is formed'on the under side-or edge of the lock a a, by which it is prevented from being lifted out of its place in the frame.

We are aware that a combined book-box and desk has been pivoted to a movable arm, and that projecting pins on the endframes, together with grooves in the ends of the book-box, serve to guide the same in a manner similar to the way in which our book-box is brought from a horizontal to a vertical position; but ourarrangement differs materially both in the positions and the forms of the grooves, and also the movable arms. Our peculiar arrangement allows us to inclose our book-box entirely within the frames and the stationary top, and is, therefore, new and useful. We are aware that gravitating locks or catches have been used on school-desks; but we claim that our form and combination are new and useful, and may be advantageously applied to different purposes. We are also aware that folding seats are common; but we claim that our mode of attaching a short arm to support theseat-arm is new and useful. By drawing the bolt which connects the short arrn D with the seat-arm thev We claim as our inventionl. The groove c or d, elbowed or straight, and the pin b, in combination with either the long arm() attached to the end frame A and bookbox B, or with the short arm D attached to the end frame A and seat-arm, operating substantially as described.

2. In a school-desk, the long arm C combined with the base of the frame, the book-box A, the pin b, the elbowed groove c, and the gravitating lock et, all made and operating substantially as' described.

HENRY B. OSBORNE.

NOAH W. HAMMON.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. MERRILL, J. K. MARsH. 

